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July 21, 2005


BECRUX FIRES :22 2/5 LAST QUARTER TO LAND OCEANSIDE AT DEL MAR,
ITALIAN CHAMPION WIRES FIELD IN FIRST START SINCE MYECTOMY,
3YO COLT IS STAKES WINNER NUMBER 6 FOR TEAM VALOR IN 2005


Longshot Becrux won Del Mar opening day's Oceanside Stakes.
The fun version of Becrux showed up Wednesday on Del Mar’s opening day. You know—the Becrux that wins off by himself. Not that imposter who finishes so far back you cannot tell if he just ran last, or is setting the pace in the next race.

In a race with only one other possible pacesetter, Becrux went wire-to-wire to score by daylight.

Neil Drysdale said “I told Garret Gomez in the paddock to let that Leo Getz horse go to the front if he wanted it, but a lot of times Patrick Valenzuela likes to lay second on the grass, and if P. Val didn’t go, then Garret should kick on with it. He did, he rode him masterfully and he won impressively.”

Owned by Team Valor, Gary Barber and his breeder Scuderia Siba (The Balzarini Family from Italy), Becrux was dismissed by horseplayers at odds of 13 to 1.


Hollywood film mogul, Gary Barber, co-owner of
Becrux, entertains friends in the Winners' Circle.
Becrux broke with his field and soon was off in front. Gomez took a nice hold and allowed the colt to gallop on the lead, well in hand. The other riders were content to let the longshot bowl along in front through a pedestrian half-mile in :47 4/5.

Through a subsequent half in a sparkling :46 1/5, a few different horses threw down a challenge, but every time a horse got close to him, Becrux just sped up.

Two horses were lapped on the Italian juvenile Champion down the backstretch, but curving for home, Gomez gave the black-coated hunk “the office,” got him to switch leads on cue and rhythmically rode him to win by daylight. Becrux never looked like being caught and completed his final quarter mile in an astonishing :22 2/5.

“I don’t care how slow they went early,” said Jeff Siegel, whose HRTV hosting commitments kept him from being able to watch the race in person, “coming home in :22 2/5 is sensational.”

Becrux completed the mile in 1:33 4/5 on the fast new Del Mar Turf course. Two races later in the stronger second division of the Oceanside, the winner ran 1:33 3/5. Comparison of the fractions between the two races indicates that Becrux ran a far superior race.


Becrux responded to a brilliant ride by Garret Gomez.
In winning the Oceanside, Becrux received an automatic invitation to the Del Mar Derby, contested over 1 1/8 miles on September 5 for a pot of $400,000.

Becrux, bought last season after winning his initial 4 starts, now sports a record of 6 wins in 10 races. On the grass, he has 5 wins in 7 starts.

A hulking type of horse with a massive shoulder, Becrux was bought as an American Triple Crown candidate. He won on the sand in Dubai, but his other two races were abominable. It now appears fairly certain that a breathing problem compromised his chances.

“I see this horse as a great candidate to run a mile and a quarter on grass,” said Barry Irwin. “He is a great galloper. He reminds me, in style, of a horse named Teleprompter, who would go off in front in his races and simply gallop the opposition into submission.

“Any horse that can rate on the lead, then muster a final quarter-mile in :22 2/5 has to be considered a brilliant prospect.”

Irwin paid tribute to the excellent job done with Becrux by Kiaran McLaughlin, who prepared the colt for the race and shipped him to California after Team Valor decided to show up for the Oceanside.